Shock absorbing vehicle frame



Allg- 14, 1934- J. M. HEATH SHOCK ABSORBING VEHICLE FRAME Filed April 25. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet l Aug. 14, 1934. J. M. HEATH 1.969,844

SHOCK ABSORBING VEHICLE FRAME Filed April 25. 195?.V e sheets-sheet s Aug- 14, 1934- J. M. HEATH SHOCK ABSORBING VEHICLE FRAME Filed April 25. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 4 di lo: up

Aug- 14, 1934. J. M. HEATH 1,969,844

SHOCK ABSORBING VEHICLE FRAME Filed April 25. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 5 Aug. 14, 1934. J. M. HEATH SHOCK ABSORBING VEHICLE FRAME Filed April 25. 1932 6 Sheets-Sheet 6 @m7 We Patented Aug. 14, 1934 sHocK'ABsomslNG VEHICLE FRAME t James M. Heath, Philadelphia, Pa. Application April 25, 1932, serial No. 607,404

' s claims.

The invention relates to shock absorbing vehicle frames and has as an object the provision of a vehicle frame particularly adapted for railway cars having means to protect the contents 6 and the body of the vehicle from the effects of excessive shocks of tranic.

It is a further object of the invention to provide an improved form of vehicle frame wherein a body frame is movable upon a wheeled frame frame to its normal condition of registration with the under-frame after displacement thereof by shocks as buf'dng, braking, or the like.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a frame of the character referred to wherein the body frame and the under-frame may be separately constructed and afterwards put to gether. A

It is a further object of the invention to provide a frame of the character referred to having spring means inbuilt to supplement the action of the usual truck springs of a railway car.

The invention may be embodied in a freight or passenger railway car and some features of the invention may be used in road vehicles as busses, trucks or the like.

Further objects of the invention will appear from the following description when read in connection with the accompanying drawings showing illustrative embodiments of the invention, and whereim- Fig. 1 is a plan view of the frames of the invention, the body of the vehicle being omitted;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation `of the structure of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a detail perspective view 'showing a portion of the two frames in assembly;

Fig. 4 is a vertical transverse section on line y 4.-4 of Fig. 1 drawn to an enlarged scale;

40 Fig. 5 is a detail plan view of substantially onefourth of lthe assembled frames upon an enlarged scale;

Fig. 6 is a vertical section-on line 6 6 of Fig. 1;

Fig. '7 is a transverse section on line 7--7 of Fig. 1 upon an enlarged scale;

Fig. 8 is a detail vertical section on line 8-8 of Fig. 1 upon an enlarged scale;

'Figs. 9 and 10 are side elevations `of the body and wheeled frame respectively, the frame in 50 Fig. 9 being tilted up and the frame in Fig. 10 being tilted down at the edge toward the observer showing the parts in the position of registration which they must occupy forassembly.

Figs. 11 and 12 are detail perspective views of the side and center sills respectively.

or under-frame with means to return the body Fig. 13 is a detail transverse section on the two frames at the center sill illustrating a modiiied form of center sill; t

Fig. 14' is a detail perspective view of por. tions of the two frames placed for assembly; Fig. 15 is a plan view of a portion of ,the center sill of the two frames showing springs which nay be introduced in one form of the invenion;

Fig. 16 is alongitudina of Fig. 15; and

Fig. 17 is a transverse section on line 17-17 of Fig. 15. t As shown the device comprises a wheeled or under-frame 20 and a body frame 2l. The un- 70 der-frame is shown as comprising side sills 22, 23 and acenter sill 24 united by cross ksills 25.

A bolster is shown at 26 in Fig. 3 also-extending between the side sills 22, 23. The center sill is shown as made up of modified rolled structural steel members 27 shown in Fig. 4 as comprising two upper spaced longitudinal iianges 28, 29 defining grooves therebetween, the grooves in the opposite members 2,7 facing outwardly. To complete the center sill in'this form, there is 80 shown a cover plate 30 united to the upper surface. y of the flanges 28 in any suitable manner.

The side sills 22, 23 are also formed of modified rolled structural steel members each having a pair of outwardly projecting flanges 31, 32 de- 85 section on line 16-16 65A lining a groove therebetween.A

In the form of the invention illustrated the. grooves betweenthe flanges 31, 32 are shown as opening outwardly uponV the respective sides of the frame. which is a preferred construction but not an essential one. A.

The body frame 21 is shown as comprising side sills 33, 34 and a. center sill 35 united by cross sills 36. The center' sill 35,' as most clearly shown in Fig. 4, is formed of a. box girder having an open side dened by inwardly projecting flanges 38,39 lying within the grooves defined by the longitudinal'flanges 28, 29 upon-the under-frame center sill. To stiffen the sill 35 there are shown a plurality of transverse plates 4Q secured to the 100 limer surface of the upper portion thereof. The side sills 33, 34 are shown as' formed at their lower edges with inwardly projecting longitudinal anges'41, 42, also deninga groove, and the flanges 42 are shown as lying within the groove 105 between the anges 31, 32. y

The cross sills 25' are shown as terminating below the Vupper plane of the wheeled frame and the cross sills 36 of the body frame are shown v as projecting below the plane of the upperedges of the sills 25 to provide lapping parts of the sills upon the two frames. v

To cushion shocks and to restore the upper frame to its normal position of registration with the lower frame after displacement caused by shocks of traiiic, there are shown springs 43 mounted upon rods 44'each projecting through one of the .sills 36 and through the two contiguous sills 25 and secured therein. The securing means shown comprises keys 45 passed through 'slots in the ends of rods 44. Y.

To limit the travel of the upper frame responsive to shocks, there are shown stop blocksA 46 secured to side sills 22, 23 and desirably adjustable therein as by means of bolts 47 passing through slots 48 in a ilange -of the sill. The stop members 46 are adapted to contact with the cross sills 36 upon the upper frame at the limit of relative movement allowedto the two-frames.

. upper frame and a special cross sill 53 carried inclusive is provided.

by the under-frame. In this instance the cross sill 53 is shown'as projecting upwardly into overlapping relation with the cross sill 52. As shown the rods 51 extend into sockets 54 carried by the sill 53 and are secured therein as by means of pins 55. 'I'he springs 50 extend into said sockets and abut against the pins 55 therein. The remaining ends of the springs 50 are shown as abutting against saddles 56 mounted upon leaf springs 57 bearing against the sill 52. It will be understood that either of the forms of springs 43 or 50 may be utilized alone or the shown combination of the two may be used. A

In the assembly of the two frames as so far described, the frames completed, except for the application of the over-lapping cross sills from one of the frames, are placed in the position shown in Fig. 14, the upper frame being held in assembly by means of cross members 57 and the anges 31 and 42 and 39 being entered into the respective grooves, the upper frame is'moved lengthwiseto a proper position of registration, after which the omitted cross sills are introduced and assembled with the spring structures and the stop plates bolted upon the sills. Y

To avoid the necessity of asembling the cross sills after assembly of the frames and also to provide for more ready removal of the body frame at need, the modification illustrated in Figs. 5 to 12 In accordance' with this modification and as most clearly shown in Figs. 9 to 12 inclusive, the flanges42 of the sills 33, 34 are cut away as at 58 to provide projecting portions 59 and the ilanges 31 of the side sills 22, 23 are complementarily cut away to provide spaces 60, slightly exceeding in extent the portions 59 and leaving therebetween theA portions 61.

'Ihe flanges 28 of theK center sill are likewise cut awayas at 62, the cover plate 30 being likewise cut through providing the projecting portions 63 and the flanges 38, 39 of the center sill 35 of the body frame are cut away as at 64 leaving, the intervening portions 65 of slightly portions 62 of the lustrated in Figs. 9 and {l} when the body frame may be lowered into contact with the wheeled frame and moved longitudinally a distance equal to the length of the portions 89 and 55 to underlie the portions 61 and 63 upon the under-frame. Thereafter the springs 43 or.50 may be applied andthe stop blocks 46, 49 may be added and ad-` modified I-beam 101s shown in Fig. 13 which may be utilized instead of the box girder type shown in the structure already described.

In Figs. 15 to 17' inclusive there are shown springs 71 carried by the center sill 35 adapted to bear upon the cover plate 30 between the stop blocks 49 to supplement the spring action of the usual truck springs of the vehicle. When these springs are used theilanges 38,-39 are as shown in Fig. 1'1, normally clear from the flanges 29 and atleast one of the iianges 42 should be borne clear from the anges 32.

Minor changes may be made in the physical embodiments of the invention within the scope of vthe appended claims without departing from the spirit of the invention.

I claim:

l. A vehicle comprising, in combination: a wheeled frame formed with sills having laterally projecting longitudinal flanges substantially coextensive therewith; a body frame movably mounted thereon and formed with sills having laterally projecting flanges underlying and substantially coextensve with said first named flanges to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame; s aid frames each presenting coacting weight bearing surfaces; and resilient means coacting with said frames to restore normal registration thereof after displacement.

2. A vehicle comprising, in combination: a wheeled frame formed with sills having laterally projecting flanges; a body frame movably mounted thereon and formed with sills having laterally projecting flanges underlying and substantially coe'xtensive with vsaid nrst named iianges to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame;

`said frames each presenting coacting weight bearing surfaces; resilient means coacting with said frames to restore normal registration thereof after displacement; and resilient means between certain of said coacting weight bearing surfaces.

3. A vehicle comprising, in combination: a wheeled frame comprising side sills each formed with a laterally projecting iiange; a body frame movably mounted on said wheeled i'rame comprising side sills each having a laterally projecting ilange underlying the respective nrst named anges to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame; said frames presenting coacting weight bearing surfaces; and resilient means coacting between said frames to restore the normal condition'of registration thereof after displacement.

4. A vehicle comprising, in combination: a wheeled frame comprising side sills and a center sill each formed with laterally projecting anges; a body frame movably mounted on said wheeled frame and comprising side sills and center sills each formed with anges projecting laterally counter to the respective first named flanges and each underlying one thereof to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame; said sets of sills presenting coacting weight bearing surfaces; and resilient means coacting between said frames to restore normal registration thereof after displacement and to cushion shocks of such displacement.

5. A vehicle comprising in combination: a wheeled frame comprising side sills each formed with a pair of laterally projecting flangesfdeiining a groove therebetween; a body frame movably mounted on the wheeled frame and comprising side sills superposed upon the respective rst named sills and each formed with flanges defining a groove opening in a direction counter to the respective rst named grooves; one groove defining ange upon each of said sills engaged in the groove upon the opposed sill to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame; and resilient means coacting between said frames to restore normal condition of registration after displacement.

6. A lvehicle comprising in combination: a wheeled frame comprising longitudinal sills formed with laterally projecting flanges and with cross sills; a body frame mounted thereon for longitudinal movement, comprising longitudinal` sills superposed on said ilrst named sills, formed with laterally projecting anges substantially coexten'sive with and underlying said rst named flanges to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame and with cross sills, their bottom edges lying below the plane of the upper edges of said flrst named cross sills; and resilient means coacting between the overalpping portions of contiguous cross sills upon the respective frames to restore the frames to normal position after displacement.

7. A vehicle comprising in combination: a wheeled frame comprising longitudinal sills formed with laterally projecting flanges; a body frame movably mounted on said wheeled frame comprising longitudinal sills overlying said ilrst named sills and formed with laterally projecting anges underlying said rst named flanges to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame; resilient means coacting between said frames to restore their normal relative positionafter displacement comprising spring means transmitting pressure between at least one pair of upper and lower sills.

8. A vehicle comprising in combination: a wheeled frame comprising longitudinal sills formed with laterally projecting flanges having portions cut away at intervals; a body frame movably mounted on said wheeled frame and formed with longitudinal sills overlying the ilrst named sills and formed with laterally projecting anges having portions cut away at intervals; the remaining portions of each of said sets of anges being dimensioned to pass through the cut away portions on the contiguous flanges; said frames assembled with the said remaining portions of the body frame ilanges underlying the like portions upon the wheeled frame to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame; and resilient means coacting between the frames to restore their normal relation after displacement. 9. A vehicle comprising, in combination: a wheeled frame comprising center and side sills each formed with ilanges projecting laterally and outwardly from the center line of the frame, said ilanges cut away at intervals; a body frame movably mounted .thereon and formed with corresponding sills overlying the said rst named sills and with flanges projecting toward the center line of the frame having similarly cut away portions; the remaining portions of the said respective flanges dimensioned to pass through the cut-away portions of the opposed ilanges and lying in substantially vertical registration therewith with the portions on the body frame underlying the portions upon the wheeled frame to prevent vertical displacement of the body frame and resilient means coacting between the frames to restore normal registration thereof after displacement..

' JAMES M. HEATH.

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